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"How many people out there think that they're going to learn something tonight that will change their opinion?" Reddout asked.

The point of Reddout's sardonic question: Many who attended Thursday night's forum at Harrison School of the Arts came with firm and passionately held opinions that won't waver between now and the Nov. 4 election. But Reddout and five other panelists did their best to supply information and persuasion for anyone who might still be undecided on Amendment 2.

The forum, organized by The Ledger, brought together for the first time two of the loudest voices in the campaign over Amendment 2: John Morgan, the Orlando lawyer who bankrolled the drive to get the measure on the ballot, and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, a spokesman for the Don't Let Florida Go To Pot coalition.

Both provided plenty of applause lines for a raucous audience of about 700, some of them standing at the back of the Harrison auditorium. But both avoided personal attacks. In their opening statements, Morgan called Judd "a great sheriff," and Judd said Morgan "is very special to me and my family."

Those niceties aside, Morgan and Judd delivered energetic and sometimes sarcastic arguments respectively for and against Amendment 2.

The panel also included Reddout; Dr. Sergio Seoane, a Lakeland physician; Jessica Spencer, statewide coalition director for the Vote No on 2 campaign; and Irvin Rosenfeld, a Fort Lauderdale stockbroker with a rare bone disorder who receives marijuana from the federal government through a discontinued medical program.

The amendment requires 60 percent approval by voters to pass.

Many in the audience wore T-shirts or carried signs labeling them as for or against Amendment 2. Proponents seemed to outnumber opponents, and a good portion of the audience chanted "Yes on 2" before the event got underway.

Though the moderator, Ledger Editor Lenore Devore, asked the audience to remain civil and avoid applauding until the end, there were frequent outbursts during the 90- minute discussion. Audience members reacted with derision to some statements and applause rang out many times.

The audience included families with children plagued by ailments for which marijuana could be a treatment.

The format allowed each panelist to make a five-minute opening statement. Devore then posed a series of questions directed to one or more panelists that had been submitted in advance by Ledger readers.

Morgan, coming from another event in Volusia County, arrived a few minutes late in a blue-and-red bus wrapped with the logo of United for Care, the organization he heads, and the phrase "Vote Yes on 2." He joked that he was late because law enforcement stopped him to search the vehicle for drugs.

But Morgan grew serious as he described his motivation for pushing Amendment 2: seeing how marijuana benefited his father as he was dying of cancer and how it helps his brother, who has faced chronic pain since an accident left him paralyzed decades ago.

Morgan fought back tears in his closing statement as he talked about his brother, Tim Morgan.

"This is the moment of our lifetime in Florida to do something," Morgan said. "We don't have to rely on our politicians. We can just rely on ourselves to go out and, for God's sake, vote, and vote for compassion, and when you do it, do it for the people."

The last phrase evoked the advertising line of Morgan's personal injury law firm, Morgan & Morgan.

Judd and Spencer repeatedly blasted Amendment 2 as a vaguely worded measure that will yield myriad negative consequences. Spencer said the measure is more loosely written than laws in other states that have legalized medical marijuana.

"Please remember, a ‘yes' vote on this is forever," Spencer said. "?‘No' is, ‘Not right now.'?"

Judd questioned the language of the amendment, which specifies debilitating medical conditions for which marijuana could be recommended, such as cancer and AIDS, and adds the phrase "or other conditions" for which a physician sees a potential benefit.

He said the amendment would allow Floridians to acquire marijuana on the basis of headaches or back pain.

Rosenfeld, who said he has smoked more than 140,000 marijuana cigarettes, described how the drug lessens the pain and muscle spasms caused by his bone disorder. In his closing statement, Rosenfeld challenged Judd to a personal debate on Amendment 2 that could be broadcast throughout Florida. He made the same challenge to three prominent anti-drug advocates, Calvina Fay and Mel and Betty Sembler.

Rosenfeld is a member of Florida for Care, a commission created to suggest rules for the implementation of Amendment 2 should it pass. He said voters can be sure the Florida Legislature, the governor and the Florida Department of Health will craft rules that prevent the state from duplicating the example of California, a state often criticized for its loose regulation of medical marijuana.

Judd, though, said trusting those groups to create guidelines not spelled out in the amendment is akin to buying a used car without being allowed to inspect it first.

Addressing concerns about "pot docs" who will recommend marijuana for people without genuine ailments, Morgan said, "I believe in doctors. I believe 99 percent are good."

There was one point of agreement among the panelists: All said marijuana should be removed from Schedule 1, the federal category reserved for drugs considered to have no medical value and a high risk of abuse. That listing makes it nearly impossible for scientists in the United States to conduct rigorous tests of marijuana's benefits and dangers.

Seoane said changing the listing would make possible the scientific research that is needed before any drug is approved for use.

He made cautionary mention of two discontinued drugs, thalidomide and laetrile, prematurely approved and later found to be ineffective or dangerous.

Morgan made several references to Cathy Jordan, a Manatee County woman with ALS, a progressive neurological disorder, who sat in a wheelchair near the stage.

Morgan said Amendment 2 is necessary because Tallahassee lawmakers refuse even to hold hearings on behalf of people like Jordan who want the right to use marijuana to treat their symptoms.

"To Cathy Jordan, whose voice was not heard in Tallahassee — her voice is being heard now, loud and clear," Morgan said.

[ Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. He blogs about tourism at http://tourism.blogs.theledger.com. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. ]

<p>LAKELAND | Jeffrey Reddout, a Winter Haven psychologist, posed a question to the audience at the outset of a discussion of Amendment 2, which would legalize medical marijuana.</p><p>"How many people out there think that they're going to learn something tonight that will change their opinion?" Reddout asked.</p><p>The point of Reddout's sardonic question: Many who attended Thursday night's forum at Harrison School of the Arts came with firm and passionately held opinions that won't waver between now and the Nov. 4 election. But Reddout and five other panelists did their best to supply information and persuasion for anyone who might still be undecided on Amendment 2.</p><p>The forum, organized by The Ledger, brought together for the first time two of the loudest voices in the campaign over Amendment 2: John Morgan, the Orlando lawyer who bankrolled the drive to get the measure on the ballot, and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, a spokesman for the Don't Let Florida Go To Pot coalition.</p><p>Both provided plenty of applause lines for a raucous audience of about 700, some of them standing at the back of the Harrison auditorium. But both avoided personal attacks. In their opening statements, Morgan called Judd "a great sheriff," and Judd said Morgan "is very special to me and my family."</p><p>Those niceties aside, Morgan and Judd delivered energetic and sometimes sarcastic arguments respectively for and against Amendment 2.</p><p>The panel also included Reddout; Dr. Sergio Seoane, a Lakeland physician; Jessica Spencer, statewide coalition director for the Vote No on 2 campaign; and Irvin Rosenfeld, a Fort Lauderdale stockbroker with a rare bone disorder who receives marijuana from the federal government through a discontinued medical program.</p><p>The amendment requires 60 percent approval by voters to pass.</p><p>Many in the audience wore T-shirts or carried signs labeling them as for or against Amendment 2. Proponents seemed to outnumber opponents, and a good portion of the audience chanted "Yes on 2" before the event got underway.</p><p>Though the moderator, Ledger Editor Lenore Devore, asked the audience to remain civil and avoid applauding until the end, there were frequent outbursts during the 90- minute discussion. Audience members reacted with derision to some statements and applause rang out many times.</p><p>The audience included families with children plagued by ailments for which marijuana could be a treatment. </p><p>The format allowed each panelist to make a five-minute opening statement. Devore then posed a series of questions directed to one or more panelists that had been submitted in advance by Ledger readers.</p><p>Morgan, coming from another event in Volusia County, arrived a few minutes late in a blue-and-red bus wrapped with the logo of United for Care, the organization he heads, and the phrase "Vote Yes on 2." He joked that he was late because law enforcement stopped him to search the vehicle for drugs.</p><p>But Morgan grew serious as he described his motivation for pushing Amendment 2: seeing how marijuana benefited his father as he was dying of cancer and how it helps his brother, who has faced chronic pain since an accident left him paralyzed decades ago.</p><p>Morgan fought back tears in his closing statement as he talked about his brother, Tim Morgan.</p><p>"This is the moment of our lifetime in Florida to do something," Morgan said. "We don't have to rely on our politicians. We can just rely on ourselves to go out and, for God's sake, vote, and vote for compassion, and when you do it, do it for the people."</p><p>The last phrase evoked the advertising line of Morgan's personal injury law firm, Morgan & Morgan.</p><p>Judd and Spencer repeatedly blasted Amendment 2 as a vaguely worded measure that will yield myriad negative consequences. Spencer said the measure is more loosely written than laws in other states that have legalized medical marijuana.</p><p>"Please remember, a 'yes' vote on this is forever," Spencer said. "?'No' is, 'Not right now.'?"</p><p>Judd questioned the language of the amendment, which specifies debilitating medical conditions for which marijuana could be recommended, such as cancer and AIDS, and adds the phrase "or other conditions" for which a physician sees a potential benefit. </p><p>He said the amendment would allow Floridians to acquire marijuana on the basis of headaches or back pain.</p><p>Judd lamented the amendment's "multiple loopholes that's going to create a de facto legalization" of recreational marijuana.</p><p>Rosenfeld, who said he has smoked more than 140,000 marijuana cigarettes, described how the drug lessens the pain and muscle spasms caused by his bone disorder. In his closing statement, Rosenfeld challenged Judd to a personal debate on Amendment 2 that could be broadcast throughout Florida. He made the same challenge to three prominent anti-drug advocates, Calvina Fay and Mel and Betty Sembler.</p><p>Rosenfeld is a member of Florida for Care, a commission created to suggest rules for the implementation of Amendment 2 should it pass. He said voters can be sure the Florida Legislature, the governor and the Florida Department of Health will craft rules that prevent the state from duplicating the example of California, a state often criticized for its loose regulation of medical marijuana.</p><p>Judd, though, said trusting those groups to create guidelines not spelled out in the amendment is akin to buying a used car without being allowed to inspect it first.</p><p>Addressing concerns about "pot docs" who will recommend marijuana for people without genuine ailments, Morgan said, "I believe in doctors. I believe 99 percent are good."</p><p>That prompted Seoane to say later, "You better worry about the 1 percent," referring to disreputable doctors.</p><p>There was one point of agreement among the panelists: All said marijuana should be removed from Schedule 1, the federal category reserved for drugs considered to have no medical value and a high risk of abuse. That listing makes it nearly impossible for scientists in the United States to conduct rigorous tests of marijuana's benefits and dangers.</p><p>Seoane said changing the listing would make possible the scientific research that is needed before any drug is approved for use. </p><p>He made cautionary mention of two discontinued drugs, thalidomide and laetrile, prematurely approved and later found to be ineffective or dangerous.</p><p>Morgan made several references to Cathy Jordan, a Manatee County woman with ALS, a progressive neurological disorder, who sat in a wheelchair near the stage. </p><p>Morgan said Amendment 2 is necessary because Tallahassee lawmakers refuse even to hold hearings on behalf of people like Jordan who want the right to use marijuana to treat their symptoms.</p><p>"To Cathy Jordan, whose voice was not heard in Tallahassee — her voice is being heard now, loud and clear," Morgan said.</p><p>[ Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. He blogs about tourism at http://tourism.blogs.theledger.com. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. ]</p>